1. Field of Art
The present invention generally relates to the field of computer performance monitoring and more specifically to detecting and reporting livelock events.
2. Background of the Invention
Modern computers can execute multiple applications simultaneously. While the computer has limited computing resources, the operating system allocates these resources among the executing applications so that each can perform its associated functions. For example, the computer may simultaneously execute a web browser, a messaging application, and a media player, all while a security application scans for malicious software in the background.
Occasionally, an application will enter a “livelock” state characterized by using a high amount of processor or other computer resources while providing no tangible progress. For example, the media player might inexplicably use 99% of available processor resources while failing to respond to user input or playing any media. The livelock condition degrades the performance of the computer. Not only does the livelocked application fail to make tangible progress, but the other applications executing on the computer may receive fewer resources and their performance can degrade as well. Accordingly, livelocks can be very frustrating to computer users.
Application developers strive to avoid livelocks in their products. However, livelocks still occur due at least in part to the wide variety of computing environments in which applications can run. An application that behaves properly on one type of computer hardware and operating system may livelock occasionally on other hardware and/or software. Thus, even if the developers receive anecdotal evidence that their applications are livelocking, the livelock events generally are not reproducible due to environmental, configuration, or data-related factors that are specific to the computing environments in which the livelocks occurred. Therefore, the developers are unable to determine why their applications livelock and find it difficult to improve this aspect of their products.